Elaine Luria, the Congresswoman-elect from Virginia's 2nd District, met with Eastern Shore officials on Monday at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Wachapreague.

The three-hour conversation about Shore-specific issues requiring federal dollars or legislation ranged from poultry farming to aquaculture, municipal sewer service and the planned relocation of Assateague's recreational beach.

Luria later in the day toured Wallops Flight Facility, including a launch pad on Wallops Island.

Elaine Meil, Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission executive director, started the meeting with an overview of the region's economics and demographics — including the poultry industry's huge impact.

"It's a $1 billion industry on the Eastern Shore" — and by far the largest, Meil said.

A 2016 U.S. Poultry and Egg Association study said the industry is responsible for 4,511 jobs with annual wages of more than $163 million in Virginia Delegate District 100, represented by Rob Bloxom.

The study put the direct economic impact at $1.4 billion.

"Poultry is Accomack County's anchor tenant," said Robert Crockett, Accomack Board of Supervisors chairman, likening the economy to a mall.

Some 15 percent of employed residents work at one of the two poultry processing plants, he said, calling the industry "vital."

Other types of agriculture and aquaculture also loom large in the Shore's economy, Meil said.

Accomack ranks first in Virginia counties in corn and soybean production, while Northampton ranks first in wheat production, with the majority of grains grown on the Shore going to fill the regional demand of the poultry industry.

Accomack and Northampton also rank first and second in the state, respectively, in vegetables harvested.

The region ranks first in the nation in hard clam production, and aquaculture, mainly in Northampton, has a nearly $37 million direct economic impact.

It was VIMS researchers who pioneered the way to grow hard clams, and Cherrystone Aquaculture now ships clams all over the country, said Steve Johnson, who was a VIMS foundation board member, adding, "So water quality is really critical."

Wallops also plays a large role in the economy — a 2011 study put the direct impact at $63 million and 305 jobs for Accomack, and another $87 million and 456 jobs for neighboring counties, including Northampton, and Somerset, Worcester and Wicomico in Maryland.

In the tourism sector, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge gets 1.4 million visitors a year, and brings nearly $29 million in food and lodging expenditures to Chincoteague, and another $13.6 million in other retail spending.

Chincoteague accounts for 85 percent of all domestic traveler spending in Accomack County, Meil said.

Northampton last year had $78.5 million in spending by domestic travelers, including from visitors to Cape Charles, the Eastern Shore Wildlife Refuge and Kiptopeke State Park.

Among regional infrastructure needs that likely involve federal spending is completion of 100 percent of a fiber-to-the-property broadband network, at a projected cost of $29 million.

The existing network covers 37 percent of addresses on the Shore, with an extension underway anticipated to include about 30 percent more by next year, Meil said.

"It now has hundreds of commercial customers and it's starting to have hundreds of residential customers," she said, adding, "This is an important thing for federal leadership ... If we want to progress as a nation, we have got to fix this problem nationally."

Crockett said the Eastern Shore of Virginia Broadband Authority "would be a good model to use for rural areas in the country."

Broadband is "a luxury to some and it's an absolute necessity" to others, said Spencer Murray, Northampton County Board of Supervisors chairman.

Bloxom noted the authority is one of only two in Virginia operating in the black.

"If you want to invest in a proven success, we've got a proven model here," said Lewis.

SEWER STUDY UNDERWAY

A major topic of discussion at the roundtable was a feasibility study underway for a regional sewer line from Nassawadox to Accomac, coming through Onancock.

The lack of sewer service "has frequently been suggested as the major issue limiting business opportunities" on the Shore, said Michael Mason, Accomack County administrator.

"It just begs for a regional approach," he said.

Northampton chairman Murray said how to provide sewer service in the rural area "almost seems intractable in some ways, but I don't know that it really is."

The county discourages mass drainfields and tries to encourage growth in and around its five towns, three of which have sewer systems — "but they are very old and cannot be expanded," he said.

Accomack chairman Crockett called a central sewer service "vital infrastructure," saying it "would help attract other businesses."

If the study shows the line is feasible, "we will definitely need federal money ... It will be an expensive project ... but it's vital."

CLOSE

Spencer Murray, Northampton County Board of Supervisors chairman, spoke about sewer needs during a meeting of officials with Elaine Luria.
Carol Vaughn, cvvaughn@delmarvanow.com

Johnsen chairs the Eastern Shore Sanitary Transmission Main Force Line Study Committee — related to the $109,000 feasibility study of a sewer line between Nassawadox and Accomac, running through Onancock, which has a sewage treatment plant with additional capacity.

The sanitation district is a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia, similar to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, Johnsen said.

Accomack and Northampton counties are paying $10,000 each toward the study and several localities also contributed funds, Johnsen said, adding another $35,000 came from Reinvent Hampton Roads, a nonprofit organization that is an outgrowth of a community leadership initiative of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation launched in 2012 focusing on regional economic competitiveness.

Onancock's sewage treatment plant currently treats about 230,000 gallons per day but has a capacity of 750,000 gallons, according to Johnsen.

Part of the study is to verify that the figure truly is the plant's capacity and that it is sustainable at that level, according to Johnsen.

The study, expected to be completed in April, will project needs to 2050, he said, adding public meetings and comment will be held once the study is ready.

The study came about in part from a meeting of Eastern Shore mayors called by Rep. Scott Taylor last April, where officials were asked about infrastructure priorities for federal funding.

"We've got support financially; we've got support politically; we've got support within the towns," Johnsen said.